CONGRESSIONAL PAPEKS. NO. Ill— THE " THIRD HOUSE." 109
��said in a low voice, his eyes resting upon her face with an eagerness unusual to him :
" Mrs. Montgomery, you and I have been very good friends for the past three months, and I have long been wish- ing to tell you that I wish much to be- come something more than a friend. You have certainly noticed my frequent visits here, and have doubtless guessed the state of my feelings. I am not much given to love-making," a smile passing over his face, "but I wish mnch to know if my suit is to meet with success."
He paused, waiting for her to speak, but as she did not, he continued :
" Susie goes away very soon now, and then I shall be more lonely than ever be- fore, and — well, some say I have lost the best years of my life, wasted them living alone, and perhaps I have. I am not a man to love lightly, and once having given my love away, it must be for all time. Will you tell me if that love is in vain?"
" Indeed, Mr. Pierce, I cannot tell you, for although I have long known the state of your feelings, I can form no sort of an idea as regards Ida's. At times I have thought she cared for you ; at oth- ers I have thought she didn't," replied Mrs. Montgomery quietly, raising her eyes to her companion's face. He was looking at her in surprise, and for a mo- ment made no reply ; then he said slowly :
��" Is it possible that my visits here have been misinterpreted? My friend, it is your dear face that has been the attrac- tion, and you are the one I love and have loved since long before Ida came here, although I was but little acquainted with you. As for Ida, she is as dear to me as my own niece, which is saying much, but if I do not call Hattie Montgomery wife, I shall never call any one by that title. Can you give me any hope, Hat- tie?"
At his words the color had receded from her face, and her head had fallen upon her clasped hands. The surprise was so complete, the reaction so great — for she had discovered during the past few weeks that she had a heart — that several moments passed ere she could ut- ter a word, and then I expect she did a very foolish deed for a woman of her years, for she laid her head upon Les- ter's shoulder and actually burst into tears. They were soon wiped away, however, and when the young ladies re- turned home they found «a very happy couple awaiting them.
It was not until years had come and gone, and she was a happy wife and mother, that Hattie Pierce told of her first and last attempt at matchmaking, but I think she never owned, even to her- self, how glad she was^that the attempt had so signally failed.
��CONGRESSIONAL PAPERS. NO. Ill— THE " THIRD HOUSE."
��BT G. H. JENNESS.
��In the popular mind nearly all con- gressional legislation is supposed to be more or less unduly influenced by the or- ganization known as "the lobby." Exact- ly what it is, who supports it, who consti- tutes it,where it is located, and how itop- erates,are points upon which the popular mind aforesaid is less clear than in a gen- eral belief in the lobby's existence. That eminent statesman from the backwoods of Tennessee^ Mr. Crutchfield, who held a seat in the Forty-third Congress, gave
��his opinion of the lobby in language, which, if not elegant, is at least terse and vigorous. In reply to an inquiry as to whether there was a " lobby " work- ing for the extension of a certain sewing- machine patent, Mr. Cutchfield, who was a member of the House Committee on Patents, said : "Lobby? that's the spook that is always arter me. I hain't been in Congress only one term, and 1 don't want to no more. I'll be dogged if I can stand it. I am just pulled and
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